A wire bonding method for electrically connecting a semiconductor device to an external circuit or a semiconductor device to another semiconductor device is known. With the wire bonding method, a conductive wire in which one end is connected to the external circuit or the semiconductor device is pulled to a pad formed on the surface of the semiconductor device, the conductive wire is connected to the pad, and the extended portion of the conductive wire after being connected to the pad is cut. A device in which the pad is provided to the surface of the semiconductor device and the conductive wire is connected to the pad is disclosed in Japanese Published Patent Application No. 2004-228479 and Japanese Published Patent Application No. H07-131075.
There are semiconductor devices that require various types of pads. For example, a semiconductor device for use in power control requires at least one power pad to be connected with a conductive wire through which current to be controlled flows, and a small signal pad to be connected with a conductive wire which sends signals for switching the ON/OFF of the semiconductor device. The small signal pad may additionally include a pad to be connected with a conductive wire which sends signals corresponding to the amount of current flowing in the semiconductor device, and a pad to be connected with a conductive wire which sends signals corresponding to the temperature of the semiconductor device.